A module such as a camera module with a built-in a photographic element must be made compact in order to make compact electronic devices such as portable telephones. Naturally, compact camera modules having advanced photographic functions are also being developed.
In order to realize advanced functionality, camera modules must nonetheless provide functions such as macro-functions that, even though small, add to volume.
Thus, when developing a camera module socket for installing a camera module in an electronic device and the like, it is preferable to have the volume of that socket be as small as possible.
Conventional camera module sockets are typically either of a surface mount type that is installed by making contact with the mounting surface of the electronic circuit substrate of the electronic device and the like; or a through hole installation type that is installed by inserting the camera module socket through a through hole opened in order to insert a camera module socket through the mounting surface of an electronic circuit substrate of an electronic device and the like, and securing the peripheral part of the related socket to the related electronic circuit substrate. Both types of camera module socket have a camera module socket bottom, and when a camera module has been installed, contacts, which have spring force and are provided on the interior bottom surface of the camera module socket, are made to have pressure contact with contact points provided on the bottom of the camera module.
For example, a conventional camera module and a camera module socket as described in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Application No. 2006-067445, are further described below as conventional example 1, with reference to FIG. 6.
The camera module 111 as illustrated in FIG. 6 constitutes a module main body 113 with a roughly cubical shape and a light receiving element built into the interior, and, provided on the upper surface side of the module main body 113, a lens part 114 for taking in photographic light in order to take photographs by forming light into an image on the light receiving element. Then, a plurality of contact pads 121 to enable transceiving electric signal data are provided on the bottom surface peripheral part of the module main body 113 on the side opposite the lens part 114. Consequently, the contact pads 121 are provided as electrical contact points capable of being in an electrically conductive state.
On both sides of one opposing pair of side surfaces of the module main body 113, cutaway parts 115 are provided such that the central part protrudes from the lens part 114 side opposite the bottom surface side, and provided on the lens part 114 side of the sides with the cutaway parts 115 are protruding parts 120 that protrude further from the side surface. The protruding parts 120 are latch protrusions for latching with the camera module socket 112.
The camera module socket 112 provides a valve-shaped hollow connector main body 122 having an open top surface. The connector main body 122 is composed of an insulative polymer resin, and comprises a bottom part 122a and a peripheral part 122b that stands up from the bottom part and forms side walls. A plurality of contact pins 124 are arranged on the four edges of the bottom part 122a of the connecter main body 122. These contact pins 124 are each arranged such that one end thereof can make contact with and connect to the respective contact pads 121 of the camera module 111 that is latched and secured by inserting in the camera module socket 112. Substrate securing parts 124a, which are the other ends of the contact pins, protrude to the outside of the connector main body 122 from holes punched in the square edge part of the bottom part 122a of the connector main body 122 where the contact pins 124 are located.
Further, a shield case 127, which is composed of thin metal plate and has a roughly square tubular shape, is provided on the camera module socket 112 in order to cover the outer side surface of the connector main body 122, and the shield case 127 has spring force and is formed to make a single body with the connector main body 122.
On the upper edges of the side surfaces 127a and 127b opposite to the side surfaces where the protruding parts 120 are respectively provided on the camera module 111, the shield case 127 provides spring hooks 118, which face upward and protrude outwardly. Punched in the center of these spring hooks 118 are latching holes 117, which latch with protruding parts 120 of the module main body 113. The spring hooks 118 have spring force, and when force is applied to the outside against this spring force, both spring hooks 118 mutually move to open.
Then, when the camera module 111 is inserted into the opening of the upper surface side of the camera module socket 112 formed in this way, the latch protrusions 120 press the spring hooks 118 to the outside, and by inserting further, the latch protrusions 120 enter into the latch holes 117 of the spring hooks 118. Then, when the latch protrusions 120 enter into the latch holes 117, the spring hooks 118 return to the original positions based on energized force, and the latch protrusions 120 are latched with the spring hooks 118.
At this time, the contact pads 121 of the camera module 111 are in a state of contact with the contact pins 124, which is a state of electrical continuity.
Moreover, in conventional example 1, the bottom part 122a is provided in order to maintain the square shape of the camera module socket 122. The bottom part 122a is formed in a single body with the bottom part side edge parts of the peripheral part 122b installed so as to be enclosed on the outside by the side surfaces 127a and 127b of the shield case 127.
Nonetheless, in conventional example 1, the substrate securing part 124a must be arranged on the same level as the bottom surface of the bottom part 122a because the electronic circuit substrate that secures the substrate securing part 124a of the contact 124 is positioned on the outside of the bottom part 122a. 
Then, the bottom part 122a, which is composed of an insulative polymer resin, must have a specified mechanical strength in order to form a square shape together with the side surfaces 127a, and therefore, with a polymer resin, a thickness of about 0.3 mm is necessary. Consequently, the problem arises that use of a more low profile socket for camera modules for which compactness is desirable is prevented.